“Foul tongues and calumnies!  Master Seadrift, this unlawful manner of playing round business, after accounts are settled and receipts passed, may lead to other loss besides that of character.  The commander of the Coquette is not more than half satisfied of my ignorance of your misdoings in behalf of the customs, already; and these jokes are like so many punches into a smouldering fire, on a dark night.  They only give light, and cause people to see the clearer:—­though, Heaven knows, no man has less reason to dread an inquiry into his affairs than myself!  I challenge the best accountant in the colonies to detect a false footing, or a doubtful entry, in any book I have, from the Memorandum to the Leger.”

“The Proverbs are not more sententious, nor the Psalms half as poetical, as your library.  But why this secret parley?—­The brigantine has a swept hold.”

“Swept!  Brooms and Van Tromp!  Thou hast swept the pavilion of my niece of its mistress, no less than my purse of its johannes.  This is carrying a little innocent barter into a most forbidden commerce, and I hope the joke is to end, before the affair gets to be sweetening to the tea of the Province gossips.  Such a tale would affect the autumn importation of sugars!”

“This is more vivid than clear.  You have my laces and velvets; my brocades and satins are already in the hands of the Manhattan dames; and your furs and johannes are safe where no boarding officer from the Coquette—­”

“Well, there is no need of speaking-trumpets, to tell a man what he knows already, to his cost!  I should expect no less than bankruptcy from two or three such bargains, and you wish to add loss of character to loss of gold.  Bulk-heads have ears in a ship, as well as walls in houses.  I wish no more said of the trifling traffic that has been between us.  If I lose a thousand florins by the operation, I shall know how to be resigned.  Patience and afflictions!  Have I not buried as full-fed and promising a gelding this morning, as ever paced a pavement, and has any man heard a complaint from my lips?  I know how to meet losses, I hope; and so no more of an unhicky purchase.”

“Truly, if it be not for trade, there is little in common between the mariners of the brigantine and Alderman Van Beverout.”

“The greater the necessity thou shouldst end this silly joke, and restore his niece.  I am not sure the affair can be at all settled with either of these hotheaded young men, though I should even offer to throw in a few thousands more, by way of make-weight.  When female reputation gets a bad name in the market, ’tis harder to dispose of than falling stock; and your young lords of manors and commanders of cruisers have stomachs like usurers; no per centage will satisfy them; it must be all, or nothing!  There was no such foolery in the days of thy worthy father!  The honest trafficker brought his cutter into port, with as innocent a look as a mill-boat.  We had our discourses on the qualities of his wares, when here was his price, and there was my gold.  Odd or even!  It was all a chance which had the best of the bargain.  I was a thriving man in those days, Master Seadrift; but thy spirit seems the spirit of extortion itself!”